Time-control device



-Aug. 16, 1960 H. F. ELLIOTT TIME-CONTROL DEVICE Original Filed May 13. 1953 HAROLD F. ELLIOTT Se, m

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HIGH 68 Patented Aug. 16, 1960 United States Patent Otiice TIME-CONTROL DEVICE Harold F. Elliott, 800 Westridge Drive, Menlo Park, Calif.

Original application May 13, 1953, Ser. No. 354,847,

now Patent No. 2,907,386, dated Oct. 6, 1959'. Divided and this application July 2, 1959, Ser. No. 824,725

6 Claims. (Cl. 200-35) This invention relates to time-control devices and, while it is of general application, it is particularly suitable for embodiment in a precision interval timer for determining the duration of operation of an electric or electrically controlled appliance.

This application is a division of applicants copending parent application, Serial No. 354,847, filed May 13, 1953, now Patent No. 2,907,386, entitled Time-Control De- Vice.

The present invention constitutes an improved timecontrol device in which the timing of two independent functions may be controlled in sequence. Another feature of the improved time-control device is that the control means may be operated manually entirely independently of the automatic time-control mechanism of the device irrespective of whether it is in set or released position.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved time-control device which is simple and economical in construction and which is, at the same time, capable of determining the timing of two independent functions.

It is another object of the invention to provide a new and improved time-control device in which the control means may be operated non-automatically, for example manually, completely independently of the automatic time-control mechanism of the device and irrespective of whether it is in set or released position.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided in a timing system including timing motor means, a timecontrol device comprising at least one time shaft adapted to be driven by the motor means, an element driven by the time shaft but settable relative thereto, and a control element operable in response to the position of the settable element. The time-control device also comprises a pivoted lever having at one end thereof an element pivoted thereon and supported thereby and biased to a fixed position relative thereto, the control element having a one-way actuating connection to the pivoted element, and control means actuated by such lever, such lever being manually operable for actuating the control means independently of the control element.

For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects thereof, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawing:

Fig. l is a front View of a time-control device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View of the apparatus of Fig. l taken along the lines 5 5; and

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the control means of the time-control device of Fig. l and its actuating mechanism.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated a time-control device embodying the invention. In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, elements which are the same as those of Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of applicants parent application, Serial No. 354,847, now Patent No. 2,907,386, are identified by the same reference numerals, while those elements which correspond to, but differ from, elements of the embodiment of Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of such parent application are represented by the same reference numerals increased by 100. The time-control device of Figs. 1, 2, .and 3 is adapted for use in a timing system including a timing motor means (not shown) connected to drive a minute hand 12 and hour hand 13 over a clock face through conventional gearing, omitted for the sake of clarity. The time-control device includes a pair of timing mechanisms a, 115b, each including a settable element and a control element operable at a time dependent upon the setting of the settable element. The timing mechanisms 11551, 115b are identical so that only 115b is shown in detail in Fig. 2. This mechanism includes a time shaft, such as a sleeve shaft or bushing 60b, to which is secured an hour time gear 12317 connected to be driven by the motor means of the device through a pinion 61. The time shaft 60b is journalled in. a frame member 62 and acts as a journal for a shaft 6311 which carries an element such as a cam 64b driven by the time shaft 60h through an annular friction spring 65b. However, the cam element 64b is settable relative to the time shaft 60b by means of the settable shaft 63h to which it is secured, and a manual operating knob 127b also secured thereto. The time-control mechanism 11519 further includes a control element, such as a cam follower 147b, having a cam element 66b engaging the cam 64b and operable in response to the position of the settable cam 64b which, after setting, is in turn dependent upon the position of the driving time shaft 60b.

The time-control device of Figs. 1-3, inclusive, also includes a two-position control means, such as a twoposition switch 151, having stationary contacts 151a, 151b and a co-operating movable contact blade 151C.

The time-control device further includes a lost-motion driving connection between the control elements or cam followers 14761, 147b and the control switch 151 positively to actuate the control switch to either of its two operating positions. This lost-motion driving mechanism includes a lever 141 mounted on a pivot shaft 142l and carrying at its lower end a pivoted element having an upward extension 144 normally axially aligned with respect to the lever 141 by a spring stirrup 145. The control elements or cam followers 147e, 147b have notched ends engageable with the opposite ends of the element 140 of lever 141 for actuating the control switch 151 to either of its two positions. Mounted on the outer end of the pivot shaft 142 is a manual operating knob 146 by means of which the lever 141, and thus the control switch 151, may be actuated manually independently of the automatic actuating means.

It is believed that the operation of the time-control device of Figs. 1-3, inclusive, will be clear from the foregoing description. In general, the operation is similar to that of Figs. 1-3, inclusive, of applicants parent application, Serial No. 354,847, now Patent No. 2,907,386, except that only settable and time hour shafts are provided, the minute shafts being omitted, thus providing a coarser timing operation but at the same time a simpler mechanism and a mechanism suitable for daily repetition of a chosen. timing cycle. It will be clear that the settable cams 64a, 64b aotuate the cam followers 1476:, 147b in a manner analogous to the operation of the arms 47a, 47b by the axially movable discs 28a, 28!) of the embodiment `of Figs. 1-3, inclusive, of aforesaid parent application.

Specifically, it will be assumed that the time-control mechanisms are in the po'sitions shown in Fig. 3, that is, the mechanism 115b is in its operated position and, in moving to this position, has actuated the pivoted lever 1141 counterclockwise, as shown in Fig. 3, to close the control switch contacts 151b, 1'510. It may be further assumed that, if this event has taken place at approximately 6z00 a.m., as shown in Fig. l, the time-control mechanism 115er has been set to Operate the control switch 151 to its other operating position, that is to close its contacts 151e, 151e, at 9:45 prm., as shown in Fig. 1. When this occurs, the notch in the settable cam member 64a of the mechanism 115e will register with its associated cam element 66a permitting relative movement therebetween, whereupon the cam follower 147a acting through the pivoted element Mtl, rotates the lever- 141 clockwise and imparts a snap action movement to the control switch 151, closing its contacts 151e, 151C.

It is clear from the foregoing description that the reverse operation will take place at a time corresponding to the setting of the time-control mechanism 115b and that this cycle of operation will be repeated every 24 hours, the control switch 151 being operated fro'm one position to another at any preselected times. It will also be clear that in place of a simple two-position control switch 151, other forms of control switches or mechanisms may be used. It will also be seen that the lever 141 may be operated manually by its knob 146 to operate the control switch 1'51 to either position completely independently of the positions of the cam followers 14711, 147b, as determined by the settings of the time-control mechanisms ll'a, 11511. Therefore, the automatic action of the time-control device may at any time be superseded by manual action, as desired.

As represented in Fig. l, this form of time-control device is particularly adapted for use in conjunction with a two-temperature thermostat timer, the contacts 1514i, 151e eecting a regulation under the control of the lowtemperature thermostatic control 67 and the contacts 151b, 151e effecting a regulation under the control of the high-temperature thermostat 68.

While there has been described what is at present considered to' be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention, and it is, therefore, aimed in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a timing system including timing mo'tor means, a time-control device comprising: at least one time shaft adapted to be driven by said motor means; an element driven by said time shaft but settable relative thereto; a control element operable in response to` the position of said settable element; a pivoted lever having at one end thereof an element pivoted thereon and supported thereby and biased to a fixed position relative thereto, said control element having a one-way actuating connection to said pivoted element; and control means actuated by said lever, said lever being manually operable for actuating said control means independently of said control element.

2. In a timing system including timing motor means, a time-control device comprising: at least one time shaft adapted to be driven by said motor means; a cam driven by said time shaft but settable relative thereto; a cam follower operable in response to the position of said cam; a pivoted lever having at one end thereof an element pivoted thereon and supported thereby and biased to a fixed position relative thereto, said cam follower having a one-way actuating connection to said pivoted element; and control means actuated by said lever, said lever being manually operable for actuating said control means independently of said cam follower.

3. In a timing system including timing motor means, a time-control device comprising: -a pair of timing mechanisms each including a time shaft adapted to be driven by said motor means, an element driven by said time shaft but settable relative thereto, and a control element operable in response to the position of said settable element; a pivoted lever having at one end thereof an element pivoted thereon and supported thereby and biased to a Xed position relative thereto, said control elements having one-way actuating connections to said pivoted element; two-position control means actuated by said lever, said lever being manually operable for actuating said control means independently of said control elements.

`4. In a timing system including timing motor means, a repeating time-control device comprising: a pair of timing mechanisms each including a 24-hour time shaft adapted to be driven by said motor means, an element driven by said time shaft but settable relative thereto, and a control element operable in response to the position of said settable element; a pivoted lever having at one end thereof an element pivoted thereon and supported thereby and biased to a Xed position relative thereto, said control elements having one-way actuating connections to said pivoted element; two-position control means actuated by said lever alternately from one of its positions to the other, said lever being manually operable for actuating said control means to either of its positions independently of said control elements.

5. In a timing system including timing motor means, a time-control device comprising: at least one time shaft adapted to be driven by said motor means; an element driven by said time shaft but settable relative thereto; a pivoted control element operable in response to the position of said settable element; a pivoted lever having at one end thereof an element pivoted thereon and supported thereby and biased to a fixed position relative thereto, said control element having a notched end remote from its pivot and engageable with said pivoted element to actuate said lever; and control means actuated by said lever, said lever being manually operable for actuating said control means independently of said control element.

6. In a timing system including timing motor means, a time-control device comprising: a pair of timing mechanisms each including a time shaft adapted to be driven by said motor means, a time scale associated with and driven by said time shaft, an element driven by said time shaft but settable relative thereto, a function-time indicator connected to said driven element and registering with said time scale, and a control element operable in response to the position of said settable element; a pivoted lever having at one end thereof an element pivoted thereon and supported thereby and biased to a fixed position relative thereto, said control elements having one-Way actuating connections to said pivoted element; two-position control means actuated by said lever;

a manually operable element connected to said lever for actuating said control means to either of its positions independently of said control elements; and a function indicator associated with said manually operable element,

No references cited. 

